If you were looking for Alvin Kamara to tear up the field in the Saints' season finale against the Falcons, you probably ended up staring at an "Inactive" tag on your screen instead. It's been a weird, frustrating stretch for anyone following the New Orleans backfield. To get the answer simply: Alvin Kamara had 0 rushing yards in his last game because he didn’t play.
Actually, he hasn't played in over a month.
The last time Kamara actually suited up and took a handoff was back on November 23, 2025, against those same Atlanta Falcons. In that specific matchup, he managed just 11 rushing yards on 3 carries before his season effectively ended. That’s it. A measly 11 yards. It’s a jarring number for a guy who has spent nearly a decade being the focal point of the Saints' offense.
The injury that derailed everything
Honestly, the "last game" conversation is really a conversation about a sprained MCL. During that Week 12 loss to Atlanta, Kamara suffered a knee and ankle injury that basically mothballed him for the rest of the 2025 campaign. He didn't go on Injured Reserve (IR), which kept fans hoping for a comeback, but he never made it back to the practice field in a meaningful way.
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You've probably seen the Saints' box scores from the final six weeks. It's been a lot of Audric Estime and a revolving door of backups. While Kamara was sitting out, the Saints actually went on a bit of a winning streak in December, but they did it without their franchise leader. By the time Week 18 rolled around on January 4, 2026, the team was already out of the playoff hunt. Pushing a 30-year-old vet with a bum knee in a meaningless game just didn't make sense.
Breaking down the 2025 season stats
When you look at the full picture of the year, the Alvin Kamara rushing yards last game stat is just a symptom of a larger struggle. He finished the 2025 season with:
- Total Rushing Yards: 471
- Carries: 131
- Average per Carry: 3.6 (a career low)
- Rushing Touchdowns: 1 (scored all the way back in Week 1)
Comparing this to his 2024 season—where he racked up 950 yards—is night and day. Kinda feels like the end of an era, doesn't it? He’s now 30, which is the dreaded "age cliff" for NFL running backs. Even though he’s still elite as a pass-catcher, the pure rushing production just wasn't there this year. He only hit the 80-yard mark twice all season: once against the 49ers (99 yards) and once against the Panthers (83 yards).
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Why the "Last Game" matters for 2026
So, what does that 11-yard performance against Atlanta mean for the future? Well, it leaves a lot of questions. Kamara is under contract for 2026, but the cap hit is massive—somewhere north of $18 million.
The Saints' front office, led by Mickey Loomis, has been vocal about wanting him back, but the NFL is a business. If a guy is missing the final six games of the season and averaging under four yards a carry when he is healthy, teams start looking at the draft. We've already seen reports of New Orleans scouting long-term replacements.
What to watch for next
If you're a fan or a fantasy manager, don't just look at the rushing yards. Kamara’s value has always been his versatility. Even in his "down" 2025, he still moved into the top 10 all-time for receiving yards by a running back. He's not "washed," but the days of him being a 20-carry-a-game bellcow are likely over.
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Expect a lot of talk this offseason about a contract restructure. If he stays in New Orleans, it’ll probably be with a reduced base salary and a promise of a more specialized role. Basically, he needs to get healthy. An MCL sprain isn't a career-ender, but at 30, the recovery isn't as snappy as it used to be.
Actionable Insights for Following AK41:
- Track the Cap: Watch for news on a contract restructure before March. If it doesn't happen, a trade or release becomes much more likely.
- Injury Reports: Keep an eye on his participation in OTAs (Organized Team Activities) this spring. If he's still limited, that knee might be a lingering issue.
- Roster Moves: If the Saints draft a running back in the first three rounds this April, it’s a clear sign they are moving on from the Kamara era.
The bottom line is that the last game we saw from Alvin Kamara was a painful, injury-shortened outing that didn't represent the player he’s been for nearly a decade. Whether he gets one more chance to rewrite that ending in New Orleans is the biggest storyline of the 2026 offseason.